Abstract

Periodically poled KTP (PP-KTP) crystals offer a number of features, such as phase-matching with the highest nonlinear coefficient, low temperature sensitivity and relatively high optical damage threshold, which make them attractive for extracavity and intracavity frequency doubling (FD) of the Nd - doped laser hosts. Recently, we have demonstrated 66 % extracavity FD efficiency of the Q-switched Nd.YAG laser by using periodically poled flux-grown KTP [1]. Our investigations show that the FD efficiency in PP-KTP is about two times higher than in conventional type-II phase-matched KTP. Moreover, the measured optical damage threshold for the PP-KTP was more than 1.5 times higher than in conventional KTP.

© 1998 IEEE